Where It's Located
The Santiago Chile Temple is located at Pocuro #1940 in the Providencia district of Santiago, Chile.
The temple occupies a 2.61-acre (1.1-hectare) property that has become known locally as "Temple Square." The block also includes a meetinghouse, area Church offices, a distribution center, mission headquarters, and patron housing.
The temple's location in Providencia places it in one of Santiago's well-established urban neighborhoods, making it a convenient base for exploring the city.
Getting There
International travelers will generally arrive at Arturo Merino Benítez International Airport (SCL), Santiago's main international airport.
From the airport, travelers can reach the Providencia district by car or public transportation.
Because the temple is located within Santiago itself, a temple visit can easily be combined with exploring the city's historic neighborhoods, museums, restaurants, parks, and views of the Andes.
A Bit of History
The Santiago Chile Temple was announced on April 2, 1980, and groundbreaking and site dedication followed on May 30, 1981, with President Spencer W. Kimball presiding.
The temple was particularly significant because it became:
- The first temple in Chile
- The second temple built in South America
- The first temple built in a Spanish-speaking country
The first temple in South America was the São Paulo Brazil Temple, dedicated in 1978.
The Santiago Temple therefore represented a major milestone in the worldwide expansion of Latter-day Saint temple worship.
The Church in Chile
The Church was established in Chile in 1956, just 27 years before the Santiago Temple was dedicated.
By the time of the temple's dedication in 1983, approximately 140,000 Latter-day Saints lived in Chile.
The temple provided an important new center of worship for this rapidly growing Church population.
Its significance became even more apparent over the following decades as the number of Latter-day Saints in Chile continued to increase.
Temple Site
Interestingly, the Church purchased the property many years before the temple was constructed, originally intending to build a Church school on the site.
The property ultimately became the location of the temple and the surrounding Church facilities that now make up what is locally known as Temple Square.
Groundbreaking and Construction
Groundbreaking and site dedication took place on May 30, 1981, with President Spencer W. Kimball presiding.
Construction proceeded rapidly, and the completed temple was opened to the public in August and September 1983.
The public open house ran from August 24 through September 8, 1983, lasting 15 days.
The open house attracted enormous attention.
Members and nonmembers traveled long distances by bus to see the newly completed building. On one Saturday alone, approximately 55 busloads of visitors toured the temple.
Dedication
The Santiago Chile Temple was dedicated from September 15–17, 1983, by President Gordon B. Hinckley, then serving as a counselor in the First Presidency, under the direction of President Spencer W. Kimball.
The temple became the 24th dedicated temple in operation.
Major Renovation and Rededication
More than two decades after its original dedication, the temple underwent an extensive renovation.
A second public open house was held from January 21 through February 11, 2006, lasting 21 days.
The renovation was extensive enough that the building was substantially transformed.
The site notes that, compared with the original building, very few original walls remained after the renovation, although the Angel Moroni statue remained.
The renovated temple was rededicated on March 12, 2006, by President Gordon B. Hinckley.
The public response was enormous: 62,065 people toured the temple during the 2006 open house.
A cultural celebration was also held the evening before the rededication, featuring approximately 4,000 Chilean youth.
Design and Architecture
The Santiago Chile Temple contains approximately 20,831 square feet (1,935 square meters) of floor space.
It stands approximately 76 feet (23.2 meters) tall and sits at an elevation of approximately 1,950 feet (595 meters).
The exterior is finished with stucco over brick and reinforced concrete.
The temple features a single attached end spire topped by an Angel Moroni statue.
Chilean Design Elements
One of the most interesting aspects of the Santiago Temple is the way its design incorporates Chilean culture.
The temple includes motifs based on the copíhue, Chile's national flower.
Copíhue designs appear on door handles and art-glass windows, giving the building a distinctly Chilean character.
Another particularly distinctive feature is the use of Chilean marble and lapis lazuli, a naturally occurring blue stone found in Chile.
These materials form an intricate floor design in the baptistry and entryway.
Inside the Temple
The Santiago Chile Temple contains:
- Two instruction rooms
- Three sealing rooms
- One baptistry
The temple's waiting area also features hand-carved wainscoting, another detail that contributes to the building's distinctive interior character.
The Temple Grounds
The temple is particularly attractive because of its landscaping.
Mature trees line the front of the temple, while gardens occupy much of the area behind the building.
The rear gardens include a focal-point water fountain, creating a peaceful setting within the busy Santiago metropolitan area.
The combination of mature landscaping, gardens, water features, and the temple's relatively compact design gives the property a distinctly tranquil atmosphere.
A Temple With Historic Importance
The Santiago Chile Temple occupies an important place in Latter-day Saint history.
It was not simply another temple added to an established network. When it opened in 1983, it was:
The first temple in Chile.
The second temple in South America.
The first temple in a Spanish-speaking country.
That makes it one of the temples that marked the beginning of a much larger expansion of temples throughout Latin America.
The Temple's Impact on Chile
The temple's original dedication came just 27 years after the Church was established in Chile.
By 1983, approximately 140,000 members lived in the country.
By the time of its 2006 rededication, the temple was serving more than 535,000 Chilean Latter-day Saints.
That dramatic growth demonstrates how important the temple became to the Church's development in Chile.
Exploring Santiago
A visit to the Santiago Chile Temple can easily be combined with exploring the capital.
Santiago offers a mixture of modern city life, historic architecture, museums, parks, restaurants, and spectacular views toward the Andes.
Some of the city's major attractions include:
- Cerro San Cristóbal
- Plaza de Armas
- La Moneda Palace
- Mercado Central
- Barrio Bellavista
- Museo Chileno de Arte Precolombino
- Sky Costanera
The Andes Mountains are also visible from many parts of Santiago, making the city an excellent starting point for exploring central Chile.
Visiting Chile's Wine Country
Santiago is also an excellent base for exploring Chile's famous wine regions.
The Maipo Valley, located relatively close to Santiago, is particularly well known for its Cabernet Sauvignon.
Travelers with additional time can explore vineyards and wineries throughout central Chile while combining the trip with a temple visit.
Why the Santiago Temple Matters
The Santiago Chile Temple represents a major milestone in the history of the Church in Latin America.
Its construction demonstrated the growing strength of the Church in Chile and opened a new era of temple worship for Spanish-speaking Latter-day Saints.
Today, Chile has multiple temples, but Santiago remains historically unique because it was the first.
It was the temple that established a permanent Latter-day Saint temple presence in Chile.
Planning a Temple Trip
The Santiago Chile Temple is an operating temple.
There is no visitors' center open to the public, but the property has an arrival center, patron housing, and a distribution center.
Those who are not eligible for temple worship cannot tour the interior during normal operations.
Latter-day Saints planning to attend should check the temple's current operating schedule and make the necessary arrangements before traveling.
Final Thoughts
The Santiago Chile Temple is one of the most historically important temples in the worldwide Latter-day Saint temple network.
Announced in 1980, construction began in 1981, and President Gordon B. Hinckley dedicated the temple in September 1983.
It became the first temple in Chile, the second temple in South America, and the first temple built in a Spanish-speaking country.
Its architecture also gives it a distinctive Chilean identity. The copíhue flower motifs, Chilean marble, lapis lazuli, hand-carved wainscoting, mature landscaping, and water fountain make it more than simply a generic temple building.
The extensive renovation completed in 2006 gave the temple a new life, followed by a rededication by President Gordon B. Hinckley. More than 62,000 people toured the renovated temple during its public open house.
For Latter-day Saint travelers from the United States, a trip to the Santiago Chile Temple offers an opportunity to experience one of the most historically significant temples in Latin America, Chilean culture, the Andes Mountains, Santiago's vibrant city life, and the country's famous wine regions.
Scott & Riah
Brough Made
broughmade.com
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